About half the size of the Medical Center, the Recovery Ward has fewer beds to allow space for those who are going through recovery. Rather than the drab gray of most of the center, the walls in here have been done in a neutral cream color. The beds are a little thicker and the blankets are actually present. There are a few clocks and the only other decoration are a couple of flatscreens that show muted movies from the ship's library, though tablets are common. Behind each bed is a small touchscreen for tracking vitals and is linked to Medical personnel tablets. A couple stacks of recent magazines are available near the door for nurses to pass around, too.

09/12/2049

Lleufer arrives, having come by to check on his fellow Marines first thing this morning after they'd come back the evening before. The Gunnery Sergeant returns and with his own left hand bandaged, begins to make his rounds through the ward to look in on people. A few words are shared, asking after how they are doing, whether they need or want for anything he can see sent for them. Lleu tugs out a tiny paper notebook and a pencil to write down a few notes. His left hand doesn't seem to be bothering him too much. After a few words with the first person he'd stopped to check on, Ynyr moves on and comes towards Atticus' bed for Lleu had seen Amos' son take shrapnel from a 115 mm round as they had been trying to get out. A chair is shifted and Lleufer takes a seat, "How are you doing, Atticus?"

You can tell Atticus isn't a full marine yet, he's fully cooperating with the medical staff and really quite dosed up on painkillers. Still, when you come from a place where a simple infection could kill, you tend to pay attention to the medics. As such, his reactions are a little slow when Lleu heads over, but he glances up to the Master at Arms and offers him a slight smile in greeting. "Gunny," he greets, rolling his head slightly so he can see better, "been better. Not sure Gunny Knox thinks it's a valid excuse to miss PT though."

"Coop's just giving you shit because he can." Lleu grins, "Still have all your pieces?" He makes a gesture towards his crotch, then indicates Atticus. "Long as you didn't lose anything critical you'll miss, just remember. Chicks dig scars." Dumbass Marines. "Honestly, I came by to tell you that you did real well on the op. You were a team player, coming up with good ideas to offer, and worked hard to make things happen. I really appreciate that, particularly as it got pretty hairy there. But you kept your head. I hear that Emily did too, and she was a real asset to Palermo. You both did very well."

Atticus doesn't immediately clock what Lleu is talking about, maybe it's the different cultures, maybe it's the drugs, but there's a confused look for a moment before he gets it. "Haven't checked," he replies, carefully lifting one arm to raise the blanket a little and peer. It's not a thorough inspection, but he seems satisfied as he says, "don't see any bandages there." Letting the blanket drop again he accepts the praise with a slow nod then asks, "how many of you have fought cavalry battles before? I just figured it worth sharing my experiences." He knows Emily has been round, but it's mostly when he's been asleep so he has to ask, "she's okay? Emily I mean. I'm wondering how long to leave it before I tell her it was her gun that did most of the damage."

"Well, honestly … that was my first fight ever against horseman, I have to admit. Not counting that single mounted knight before. That's why Commander Petra's been eager to have you and Emily in the field with us as quickly as possible." Lleu gives a nod, "She's fine. I don't think she got hurt any worse than I did." The Gunny holds up his hand but can flex his fingers and make a fist so it's not bad. A soft laugh then, "Please, don't mention your getting hurt by friendly fire. It'll only make her upset and she was doing what I'd ordered them to do. If Palermo had given us warning over the radio, I could have called our retreat /before/ they started shelling again."

"Well, to be fair," Atticus starts slowly, "she was shelling knights.." He takes the point about being gentle with Emily though, nodding once to indicate he gets it before switching back to cavalry talk. "Did we get the horses?" he asks, "or do we have some onworld? Like with the swords, I'm happy to go over basics with people when I have the time. It's very different fighting cavalry to fighting infantry." He also wants to know if there's a chance to just ride on shore leave, and war horses are better for that than farm ones, but it'll be a few days at least before he's up for that. "Gunny," he then says carefully, clearly taking the time to start what amounts to an entirely new conversation. "Do you mind if I ask you something, while you're here?"

Lleufer listens, then thinks, "No, I don't think we got any of their horses. We were a bit busy with our dead and wounded, and the transports were chocked full of people and the livestock they'd already loaded. Since the Skath could jump back to the planet at any time we were also in a hurry not to hang around. But don't worry, there are plenty of horses on Pitchfork we've moved over. Stock from Piraeus and now a fair number more from Picon townsfolk." Most of the horses the militia were riding probably weren't trained 'war' horses anyway, only the knights' horses. But that's not Lleufer's area of expertise. He shifts his weight in the chair to get more comfortable and idly picks at the bandage around his left hand. "Go for it."

Atticus looks genuinely sad for a moment at the thought that the horse he had didn't make it out. Even if he'd only ridden it for a few minutes. Still, war sucks, and he nods his somewhat subdued understanding. He frowns faintly as Lleu starts picking at his bandage, then focuses once more and gets to the question he wanted to ask. "I can't… well, won't give thanks to the Metal any more," for obvious reasons, "but I see people praying here, and there's a chapel. Who are the Gods that I've forgotten? How do I… honour them?"

As it happens, his healing hand itches. Lleu tries not to rub or mess with it and focuses on Atticus, "I could be wrong. About the horses. I was focused on getting our people out so far as I know, someone else could have loaded them or turned them loose. I have no idea which." Oh boy, big question. "Well… my best advice there is to ask to speak to our ship's Chaplin at the Chapel. We have a few of them and they can tell you all about the Gods, and refer you to reading materials. Some people worship and believe in them all, but most tend to choose a favorite to honor most. I was raised on Aerilon to believe in the Lords and Ladies of Kobol, but … long ago, our people used to believe in just one God. Or at least, some of them. So, I kind of … personally resonate with the idea of there being just one whole, encompassing … thing, that binds us all together." Lleu draws a slow breath, "So go slow, learn about them, feel your way and decide for yourself what you believe based on your life's experiences. I think it's good to believe in /something/ and we sure have run into a whole lot of strange things that … strongly suggest there's more out there to the universe than just us. a God, or Gods? I don't know, but there's something and it seems we've had an amazing amount of good luck that makes it hard not to believe something has been helping us out."

“Do they do visits?" Atticus asks of the Chaplins, "from what the healers said I'm not going to be going anyway for a day or two." And he's certainly not one to turn down the offer of more reading material. Slowly, carefully, he pulls his tablet from the side and offers it across to Lleu, "can you see if I have access to anything relevant on the ship's network? I assume that's a reasonable place to start." As there's mention of strange things he asks carefully, "like Ghosts?" just to try and gauge where Lleu is sticking the line between strange and normal. "I remember Dad had a shrine at home, but I don't remember who to, more than one I think. Two or three perhaps? I'm sorry Gunny, there's just so many gaps, and I'm rambling."

"Of course the Chaplins do visits. I can swing by the Chapel and pass on your request if you want any of them to come talk to you. They'd be happy to." Lleu leans over and accepts the tablet, "If you don't have it on your tablet you can certainly access any religious texts in the ship's library, yes." Ynyr glances up, "Yeah, ghosts, and a whole lot more. Like weird coincidences falling in our favor, over and over again that shouldn't have. The odds being stacked crazy against us, but we still win out. Things like that." The tablet is handed back, "I bet you are doped up on pain meds. Don't you worry about it." He gets up and Lleufer lays a hand lightly on Atticus's shoulder, "Didn't see anything on your tablet. I'll go swing by the Library to ask them to send you over materials, and I'll stop by the Chapel. Until then, you rest and heal up."